Nov 28, 2022
I talk a lot about the burnout of physicians, and while that is a topic that can not get enough coverage for us as physicians, there is another caveat that we need to be aware of - our presence with our patients and giving them the time and attention they need to avoid misdiagnosis or missed diagnoses.
Amanda Laden shines some light on the perspective of a patient who lived with pain from an undiagnosed condition for years due to doctors who missed the signs and symptoms of a disease that progressed so far that it nearly cost her her life.
The lack of attention of physicians to take the time to listen to their patients and make sure that no stone is left unturned can be attributed to burnout. The frequency at which physicians are required to see patients causes us to be distracted and our attention to be divided which can lead to us missing some pretty big issues with our patients.
We have to take care of ourselves as physicians to ensure that we can pour back into our patients and give them the care and diagnoses that they deserve to avoid long-term suffering at the hands of an exhausted doctor.
In some cases, it’s not the physician that lacks empathy and attention, but the office staff that interacts with the patients on a regular basis. When we have people that are coming to us to help with major medical issues and they are relying on our medical expertise, our office staff needs to approach our patients with empathy and perspective to ensure that our patients feel heard and cared for.
Listen in to this episode to hear Amanda share her story and how the lack of diagnoses impacted her. Check out her podcast and what she’s doing to bring awareness to physicians about how missed diagnoses and missing links in women’s health need to be brought to the forefront of medicine.
“The system is not set up for either patients or doctors.” Amanda Laden
In this episode:
[01:42] Welcome to the Show, Amanda!
[02:02] Her background and how she’s helping women navigate the medical system.
[02:58] Amanda’s experience with Adenomyosis and why she started Period to Pause.
[04:57] Shining light on one of the fundamental reasons that these diagnoses are missed.
[06:48] Removing the shame engrained around speaking about the female body and its functions.
[08:25] Amanda’s advice for doctors to adjust their perspective and empathy with their patients.
[09:34] Investigating your medical biases in light of different patient cultures and using appropriate language to bridge the gap for patients.
[11:27] Patients who ask questions aren’t always using “Dr. Google.”
[12:38] The wellness of the doctor is key to the wellness of the patient.
[14:57] Empathy is important coming from the doctor, but even more so from the office staff.
[19:20] Understanding the backstory of your patients can give perspective into the best way to communicate with them and provide an inclusive diagnosis.
[20:37] The trauma and implications of anti-abortion laws and how they will impact women’s health.
[22:05] The scoop on The Period to Pause podcast and events Amanda is involved in.
Links and Resources
Connect with Amanda:
Instagram | Facebook | Spotify
3 WAYS TO GET INCREDIBLE HELP AT A LOW-COST!!!
- Buy my Kindle Book,Doctor Me First, on Amazon
- Join us for our Monthly Burnout Masterclass Series.
- Come sit with me in the Badass Collective Slack Group.